Chasing The Moon
by Love From A Muggle
Summary: One summer night before his brother's wedding he finds comfort in a friend he never thought he had. Written for the Impress Me competition by Paris In December.Rated M for mature scenes FW/HG


Written for the Impress Me Competition by Paris In December, at the HPFC

For anyone who has ever liked Fred Weasley in the books. This story goes to you.

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><p><em>"We Always believe our first love is our last,<em>

_ and _

_our last love is our first," _

_Unknown_

A full moon always made her curious. Hermione left the tiny bedroom she shared with Ginny at the Burrow to take a walk out side. She needed to clear her head from the previous argument she had that day with Ron. She was at the Burrow for Bill and Fleur's wedding, the summer of what would be her seventh year. It was there, when she saw him in a different way for the first time. She came upon Fred who was alone in the field staring up at the full moon sitting on the grass with a distant look in his eyes.

"Mind if I join you?" she asked.

"You'd actually want to sit on the grass? There's not a towel down or anything, I'm just sitting on bare grass," he said still staring at the moon.

"I'm not the type of girl who cares about things like that you know," she said sharply.

"Then feel free. If you get ants up your pants, don't come whining to me," Fred snapped.

"Are you okay, Fred?" she asked as she sat down next to him.

"Why would you care?" He looked at her.

"Well something's bothering you. You keep snapping at me. Something you've never done before."

"Hermione, we've hardly talked. Of course I've never done that before. You care more about Harry and my brother than me," Fred said.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing, never mind."

"Fred, what on earth is going on? It's about the war isn't it?"

"Maybe. We all can be scared right? I don't want things to change. George and I left Hogwarts last year to create the shop. Now we're booming with business. Why am I not happy?"

"You're scared."

"Aren't you?" He went back to staring at the moon. She picked up a piece of grass, put it in between her thumbs and whistled using the grass in her hand.

"How did you do that?" Fred asked.

"A trick that dad taught me when we were camping years ago." Hermione put down the blade of grass, fingered through the grass looking for another good, long piece of grass.

"Can you teach me?"

"Take the grass in between your hands, then where you see a tiny hole, blow in it with your mouth." She blushed. "And don't look at me like that, I'm not being perverted. That's how you whistle." Her hands cupped around his, showing him how to hold the grass right.

"It sounds perverted."

"Just try it." She let go of his hands so he could attempt it.

"There, you did it." She smiled as she heard him whistle with the grass.

"That's amazing, Hermione. You're amazing." Fred dropped the piece of grass.

"So shall we get some sleep then?" Hermione took his hand and helped him stand up.

"Have you ever wished you could chase the moon?" Fred said staring up at the moon again.

"Chase the moon? You know that's impossible. You could keep running and never catch it. It's like trying to chase life. You could keep running towards something in life but never end up happy."

"Are you happy, Hermione?"

"Why are you suddenly finding me interesting?" Hermione asked realizing she was still holding his hand.

"Hermione, are you scared of the war?"

"Back to this again, Fred?" She let go of his hand.

"You never answered me."

"I am terrified. I am afraid of losing what we have, not you and me, but the world in general. I'm scared of dying. Of someone I know dying." Hermione crossed her arms against her chest and shivered.

"Death is only the beginning," Fred said automatically.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. I just heard dad talking to mum about it once. I'm still trying to figure out what he meant by that. I don't want to die. I've never experienced stuff before, and I'd like to live to experience life." Fred looked at her and saw she was confused.

"You're not making any sense, Fred. Why are you all of a sudden confiding in me?"

"Because you're the only one I can tell things to, knowing they're not going to get told to anyone else."

"You mean gossip? I hate gossip."

"That's why you're so different from other girls. Ginny would live for gossip. Especially what I'm about to tell you," Fred said.

"But what could you possibly have that she'd want to know?"

"Do you remember when I went to the ball with Angelina?"

"Yes. Ronald ruined what was one of the best nights for me. "

"He has a habit of ruining things. After your argument, he saw me in the distance, he knew I was about to kiss Angelina. He walked through us on purpose to get to the stairs."

"You're saying you've never been kissed before?"

"Well, if I were, what would you think?"

"Is that why you're out here? Because you're thinking about death and kissing?"

"My mind has been thinking of a lot of things out here, Hermione. I come out here often, even if there isn't a moon, just to clear my head."

"So next full moon you're going to be here?"

"Only if you will." He smiled, making her blush.

"I can't, I have to go with Harry. I'll be here for Bill and Fleur's wedding but Harry needs me," she said sadly.

"He needs you for what?"

"Oh Fred, I can't say. I wasn't even suppose to say that. That's what Ron and I were arguing about today. I wanted to tell someone, but he made me promise not to. This may be our last summer here at the Burrow with everyone." Hermione looked sad, as if she was about to cry. Fred took her hand to comfort her.

"You're scared, I know you are. I can tell just by looking at you. "

"I don't want the war to happen. But it is the only way anyone of us could be free," she said gripping his hand hard.

"I'm afraid," Fred whispered, admitting it to her.

"Of what?"

"Dying. Hermione, I don't want to die."

"I know, you said that already. It's something that could happen though. To me, to you, anyone," Hermione said logically.

" Hermione, there's one thing I can't die with out knowing or doing. I've, well you will think it is silly." he said letting go of her hand.

"Have you never been kissed before, Fred? I find that really hard to believe, you've had girls chasing you for years, and you've never kissed one?"

"I've never kissed a girl I knew I wouldn't care for." The moon rose high into the sky when it dawned on Hermione. He cared for her. He wanted to prove it to her by kissing her.

"Fred, you make things difficult for me," Hermione said.

"Do you like my brother?"

"Why do you need to know all of a sudden?"

"Because, Hermione, I want you to be the first to kiss me," he said taking her hand.

"I don't know who I like. I don't have time for relationships right now. Especially with the war getting closer."

"Hermione, do you want me to die with out being kissed?" He was serious now.

"How in the bloody hell do you know you're going to die? Don't joke like that, Fred, it isn't funny. " She took off, running away from him, she started to cry as she ran.

The next night clouds scattered the sky. Hermione saw that there was no moon, but knew he would be out there waiting, wondering if she would show up. Hermione sat up, looked out her window and saw him sitting there with his head in his hands. She knew she had to go to him. She hardly talked to anyone that day. She quietly got up, left the bedroom, this time with a jacket and a blanket and walked out to him. He looked up, he was crying.

"What do you mean you're going to die?" she said taking him by the hand.

"Where are we going?" he asked her.

"Away from the Burrow. Deep into the field so we're completely alone." She led him to her spot she found that day. She knew it was far away from the house and knew no one could see them. Carefully, she placed the blanket down on the ground and sat down.

"I just have a feeling that one of us is going to die. Deep down, I think it will be me." He sat down on the blanket next to her.

"There's no moon out tonight, the clouds are covering it. You can't chase it tonight," she said ignoring his response.

"What are you getting at, Hermione?" Fred was confused.

"If you're serious, you really think you're going to die, then I want to help you experience things we've never experienced before." Hermione came close to him.

"I want you to be the first to kiss me," Hermione said suddenly.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, Fred, anyone of us could die. You said it last night. I am terrified. I don't want things to change either. The wedding's tomorrow night and tonight's our only chance."

The moon played hide and seek between the clouds as it tried to give them light. He saw love in her eyes. Fred gave her the look of love back. He wanted someone to know he loved them. He was a little nervous. He had never kissed anyone before, and didn't know where to start. He leaned in and gave her a quick peck on the cheek, but she turned her head right at that moment and he kissed her eye.

"Oww," she said placing her hand over her eye.

"Oh sorry. I was going to kiss you, but you turned your head." Fred took her hand away from her eye.

"I don't think it's hurt," he said.

"Fred, would you like for me to kiss you first?" she asked him.

"Can we just go one, two, three, kiss?" he joked. She laughed. She knew she needed a laugh. All this talk about dying really scared her.

"You know, you're always making us laugh, Fred."

"I try to be funny when I can," he said.

"Laughter helps sometimes during nervous moments."

"Like right now?" He stopped laughing and grew serious again.

"Fred, look, the moon's finally out from behind the clouds." Hermione pointed up to the sky.

He stared at her, watching her watch the moon. He knew, right then and there he had to kiss her. To make the moment magical. It was as if the moon was ordering him to do so. He gently turned her head to focus on him instead of the moon. She looked as if she was about to say something, but closed her mouth. He leaned in gently, gave her a light peck on the lips, and started to pull away. She stopped him. She pulled him close, gave him a kiss on the lips. Whatever she felt right then and there, she wanted him to know it. Passion flew between them as the wind flew around them. A light summer rain was coming, but neither of them moved. They wanted the moment to last forever. The first rain drops fell upon them, forcing them to break apart.

"Was it how you imagined kissing to be?" Hermione asked him as rain fell on them.

"It was better than I imagined." Fred pulled her close to him, he then kissed her for a second time.

"Hermione, are you sure you're ready?" Fred said asking her through the rain.

"You want to experience things before the war. So do I," she said.

"I hope you know what you're doing, because I don't," he admitted.

"Neither do I. We'll just go with the rhythm of our bodies."

They made love under the rain. The rain stopped as quickly as it had started. She sat up panting soaking wet.

"Don't die Fred," she said placing her hands in her knees. She started to cry. He sat up, wrapped his arms around her.

"For you, I won't," he said kissing her neck.

"Promise me," she said turning to look at him.

"I promise." He kissed her one more time, never wanting to let go.

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><p>Author's note: I'm so sorry I ended it this way, I HAD to write it. The story took one day to write and edit. Special thanks to my awesome Beta Reader Slytherin Head<p>

Let me know in a review if you want an epilogue for this story!


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